Diagnostic kit flexible assembly system and method of using the same

ABSTRACT

An automatic diagnostic medical test kit assembly system includes an assembly line having a conveyor; a return line parallel to the assembly line and having a conveyor running in a direction opposite of that of the conveyor of the assembly line; a plurality of pallets carrying components of the medical test kit during assembly; a plurality of work stations disposed along the assembly line to perform assembly steps on the components of the medical test kit; a start end pallet transfer mechanism disposed at the start end of the assembly line and the return line to transfer the pallets from the return line to the assembly line; and a finish end pallet transfer mechanism disposed at the finish end of the assembly line and the return line to transfer the pallets from the assembly line to the return line.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of assembly or manufacturingsystems and methods for the production of diagnostic medical test kits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Assembly or manufacturing systems and methods have been devised in thepast for producing diagnostic medical test kits (e.g., at-home pregnancytest kit). However, the inventor is not aware of a diagnostic medicaltest kit assembly system and method that is automatic, high-throughput,in-line, and flexible in nature to allow for families of relateddiagnostic medical test kits or different products to be assembled withthe same system with minimum manual product changeover time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an aspect of the invention involves a method of assemblinga diagnostic medical test kit. The method includes the following steps:

a) providing an automatic assembly system including an assembly line anda parallel return line, the assembly line and the return line includingconveyors running in opposite directions and a start end and a returnend, a plurality of pallets carrying the components of the medical testkit during assembly, a plurality of work stations disposed along theassembly line to perform assembly steps on the components of the medicaltest kit, a start end pallet transfer mechanism disposed at the startend of the assembly line and the return line to transfer the palletsfrom the return line to the assembly line, and a finish end pallettransfer mechanism disposed at the finish end of the assembly line andthe return line to transfer the pallets from the assembly line to thereturn line;

b) providing a plurality of empty pallets on the conveyor of the returnline;

c) moving the empty pallets on the conveyor of the return line to thestart end of the return line;

d) transferring the empty pallets from the start end of the return lineto the start end of the assembly line with the start end pallet transfermechanism;

e) moving the pallets on the conveyor of the assembly line to theplurality of work stations and using the pallets as carriers for apartially completed and completed diagnostic medical test kit;

f) assembling the components of the diagnostic medical test kit at theplurality of work stations;

g) transferring completed diagnostic medical test kits from the pallets,producing empty pallets;

h) transferring faulty diagnostic medical test kits from the pallets,producing empty pallets;

i) moving the empty pallets on the convey of the assembly line to thefinish end of the assembly line;

j) transferring the empty pallets from the finish end of the assemblyline to the start end of the return line;

k) repeating steps c-j above.

Another aspect of the invention involves an automatic diagnostic medicaltest kit assembly system including an assembly line having a start end,a return end, a conveyor running in a direction; a return line parallelto the assembly line and having a start end, a return end, and aconveyor running in a direction opposite of that of the conveyor of theassembly line; a plurality of pallets carrying components of the medicaltest kit during assembly; a plurality of work stations disposed alongthe assembly line to perform assembly steps on the components of themedical test kit; a start end pallet transfer mechanism disposed at thestart end of the assembly line and the return line to transfer thepallets from the return line to the assembly line; and a finish endpallet transfer mechanism disposed at the finish end of the assemblyline and the return line to transfer the pallets from the assembly lineto the return line.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in theart after a review of the drawings and the detailed description of thepreferred embodiments set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a diagnostic medical testkit assembly system.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the diagnostic medical test kitassembly system of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the diagnostic medical testkit assembly system of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a diagnosticmedical test kit assembly.

FIG. 4B is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment ofa diagnostic medical test kit assembly.

FIG. 4C is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a diagnosticmedical test card assembly.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of a pallet forcarrying the diagnostic medical test kit assembly.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the pallet illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view an alternative embodiment of a palletfor carrying a different format diagnostic medical test kit assembly.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of embodiments of the indexingconveyor and the queuing conveyor of the diagnostic medical test kitassembly system.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are an exploded perspective view and a perspective view,respectively, of an embodiment of a pallet transfer mechanism fortransferring pallets from a queuing conveyor to an indexing conveyor ofthe diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pallet transfermechanism for transferring pallets from an indexing conveyor to aqueuing conveyor of the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a base loading stationof the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a test strip insertionstation of the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a wick loading stationof the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pneumatic pressstation of the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an assemblyverification station of the diagnostic medical test kit assembly system.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a lifting mechanism ofa cap load and assembly station of the diagnostic medical test kitassembly system.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a horizontal assemblymechanism of a cap load and assembly station of the diagnostic medicaltest kit assembly system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of a flexible, adaptable, andexpandable assembly system 10 (hereinafter “system”) and method of usingthe same will be described. Although the system 10 and method will bedescribed in conjunction with the assembly of a “stick” type diagnosticmedical test kit 18, the system 10 and method are flexible, and, thus,may be easily converted for the assembly of “card” type diagnosticmedical test kits or other biodiagnostic devices. The system and methodmay also be used for the assembly of other devices such as, but notlimited to, genomics devices, medical devices, pharmaceutical devices,and cosmetic devices.

The system 10 and method are used to automatically assembly a “stick”type medical test kit (hereinafter “test kit”) 18 comprised of anelongated, narrow base 20, one or more test strips 22, a wick 24, acover 26, and a cap 28. FIG. 4B illustrates an alternative embodiment ofa diagnostic medical test kit assembly 30 that the system 10 and methodmay automatically assemble. The diagnostic medical test kit assembly 30includes a base 32, one or more test strips 34, a cover 36, and a cap38. FIG. 4C illustrates an embodiment of a diagnostic medical test cardassembly 40 that the system 10 and method may automatically assemble.The diagnostic medical test card assembly 40 includes a base 42, one ormore test strips 44, a cover 46, and a tablet 48.

The system 10 is a palletized, intermittent-synchronous, side-by-sidesystem 10 where the work path is linear and the assembly of the test kit18 is performed on the base 20 (piece that will become eventual product)carried within a pallet 50 (FIGS. 5-7) on an indexing conveyor 140. Thepallet 50 functions as a carrier for the base 20 and is indexed alongthe indexing conveyor 140 to different work stations (140-250), wheredifferent assembly steps are performed on the base 20. The pallet 50includes a bottom 52 (FIG. 5) and a top 54 (FIG. 6). The bottom 52includes generally rectangular base sections 56 separated by a lateralrecess 58. The top 54 includes a carrier plate 60 with a recess ornesting 62 for receiving the base 20 or test kit subassembly duringassembly of the test kit 18. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternativeembodiment of a pallet 50 for a different test kit format. The assembledtest kit 18 is removed from the pallet 50 and delivered to a “good”storage container with other assembled test kits 18. The empty pallet 50is then delivered to a parallel queuing conveyor 90 running in anopposite direction from that of the indexing conveyor 140. The queuingconveyor 90 delivers the empty pallet 50 to an opposite end of thesystem 10, where the pallet 50 is transferred to the indexing conveyor140 to begin the assembly process again. All assembly functions arepreferably performed in a “one-up” configuration, one assembly operationper machine cycle. The system 10 preferably runs at least 3,600 cyclesper hour with 1 part per cycle, resulting in at least 3,600 parts perhour. After and/or during each component placement operation, acomponent verification may be automatically performed using a vacuum ora photo-optic sensor, or a vision system.

The system 10 preferably includes multiple system modules 85 that may beadded to or removed from the system during product changeover. Thequeuing conveyor 90 is part of a return line and delivers pallets 50from a finish end 100 to an opposite start end 110. The queuing conveyor90 is a linear return accumulating conveyor driven using avariable-speed continuous motion (brushless) DC motor.

With reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a start end pallet transfer mechanismor shuttling mechanism 130 is pneumatically driven and transfers thepallets 50 from the start end 110 of the queuing conveyor 90 to thestart end 110 of the linear pallet indexing conveyor 140 (hereinafter“indexing conveyor”). The pallet transfer mechanism 130 includes gripperfingers 131, gripper 132, adapter plate 133, vertical transfer mechanism134, adapter plate 135, horizontal transfer mechanism 136, mountingplate 137, and support assembly 138. Gripper 132 moves the gripperfingers 131 towards and away from each other to grab and release thepallet 50. The gripper 132 moves up and down via vertical transfermechanism 134. The gripper 132 moves horizontally via horizontaltransfer mechanism 136.

With reference to FIG. 10, a finish end pallet transfer mechanism orshuttling mechanism 260 is similar in design to the start end pallettransfer mechanism 130, but transfers the pallets 50 from the finish end100 of the indexing conveyor 140 to the finish end 100 of the queuingconveyor 90.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 8, the indexing conveyor 140 is part of anassembly line and is servo-driven and synchronous-intermittent. An uppersurface 66 of the indexing conveyor 140 includes a rectangularblock-shaped cleat 68 that extends substantially the width of theindexing conveyor 140 and is received by the recess 58 (FIG. 5) on thebottom of the pallet 50. This cleat 68/recess 58 combination allows thepallets 50 to be quickly moved/accelerated on the indexing conveyor 140without falling off. The indexing conveyor 140 is parallel to thequeuing conveyor 90 and shuttles the pallet 50 from start end 110 to thefinish end 100. Along the side of the indexing conveyor 140 are aplurality of adjacent, spaced work stations (140-250), each of whichperform a different step with respect to the base 20 and will now bedescribed in turn below.

With reference to FIG. 11, a base loading station 150 includes aflexible part feeder 151 used for bulk feeding and singulation of thebase 20 and a robot/vision system 152 for picking and placing the bases20. The flexible part feeder 151 includes an elevated hopper 153, anelevator conveyor 154, a slow, wide, flat conveyor 155, a centeringmechanism 156 (with nylon spacing brush), a fast conveyor 157, a returnchute 158, and a return conveyor 159. Multiple bases 20 are manuallybulk loaded into the elevated hopper 153. After random orientation inthe hopper 153, the base 20 is lifted via the elevator conveyor 154 anddischarged onto the conveyor 155. The centering mechanism 156 center thebase 20 on the conveyor 155. Bases 20 ride on the conveyor 155 and passthrough the nylon brush of the centering mechanism 156. The nylon brushhelps to space the bases 20 on the conveyor 155 with respect to eachother. The bases 20 drop onto the fast conveyor 157, where they arepresented to the robot/vision system 152. A camera of the robot/visionsystem 152 is used to locate the base 20 on the conveyor 157, and avacuum head of the robot/vision system 152 is used to capture the base20. The robot/vision system 152 may move longitudinally with respect tothe conveyor 172, may rotate, and the vacuum head may move up and down.The robot/vision system 152 picks and places the base 20 into the recess62 of the pallet 50. The robot/vision system 152 loads a single base 20per cycle. Placing the base 20 in the recess 162 of the pallet 50 causesthe base 20 to be accurately constrained during subsequent index andassembly operations.

With reference to FIG. 12, one or more test strip insertion stations 160index, cut, and place a single test strip 22 into the base 20 eachassembly cycle. Test strips 22 are singulated from a test strip magazine161 using a card indexing strip cutter 162. Cutting and placing ofstrips is accomplished through coordinated motion of a dual axistransfer unit 163 and the card indexing strip cutter 162. A turnassembly 164 includes a top stationary member 165 and a bottom180-degree rotational member 166. The bottom rotational member 166includes opposite pick-and-place heads 167, and rotates 180 degrees,back-and-forth. After the card indexing strip cutter 162 cuts a singletest strip 22 from the test strip magazine 161, a pick-and-place head167 captures the cut test strip 22 with vacuum force, rotates 180degrees, and places the test strip 22 onto the base 20 in the pallet 50.As the test strip 22 is placed in the pallet 50, the oppositepick-and-place head 167 picks up a new test strip 22.

With reference to FIG. 13, a wick loading station 170 places the wick 24in the base 20. The wick loading station 170 includes a flexible partfeeder 171 including a wide, flat conveyor belt 172. The wick 24 isdischarged onto the wide, flat conveyor belt 172, and a robot/visionsystem 173, which is similar to the robot/vision system 152 describedabove, picks and places the wick 24 using vacuum force. The robot/visionsystem 152 loads a single wick 24 on the base 20 per cycle.

A visual inspection work station 180 utilizes a vision system to inspectthe cut test strip 22 in the base 20 for a black (or other color) strip,indicating a “bad” or “rejected” portion of strip material. This black(or other color) strip may be applied to the card stock or magazine oftest strips 22 at the time of fabrication. The vision system alsoinspects the subassembly for missing or misaligned strips and/or wicks24.

The cover load work station 200 is similar in construction and in use tothe base loading station 150, and, therefore will only be brieflydescribed. Elements of the cover load work station 200 are identifiedwith the same reference numbers as those of the base loading station150. The cover load work station 200 includes a flexible part feeder 151for bulk feeding and singulation of the cover 26. The covers 26 aremanually bulk loaded into the elevated hopper 153, and the flexible partfeeder 151 presents the covers 26 to the robot/vision system 152, whichcaptures a cover 26 using vacuum force and the cover 26 is placed on thebase 20 in the pallet 50. The robot/vision system 152 loads a singlecover 26 per cycle.

With reference to FIG. 14, a pneumatic press station 210 assembles thecover 26 to the base 20 with a “snap” fit. The press station 210includes a pneumatically driven single action press mechanism 211 toapply a known force to the assembly, mechanically and permanentlylocking the cover 26 to the base 20. The press mechanism 211 includes amovable lower plate 212 connected to reciprocating posts 213, whichreciprocate in linear bushings 214. A compressed rubber pad 215 islocated on the underside of the lower plate 212. The linear bushings 214are carried within stationary upper plate 216. The upper stationaryplate 216 is supported by vertical uprights 217 and adapter plates 218.A rectangular column 219 extends from the center of the upper stationaryplate 216.

With reference to FIG. 15, an assembly verification work station orheight check station 220 may be used to verify the full assembly of thetest kit 18. The assembly verification work station 220 may include apneumatically driven vertical transfer mechanism 221 to lower a lineartransducer 222 to verify the height of the test kit 18 to verify thecomplete assembly of the test kit 18. The vertical transfer mechanism221 may be connected to a vertical tower 223 via a bracket 224. Thevertical tower 223 may be supported by an adapter plate 226.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 13, 16, and 17, a cap load and assemblystation 230 includes a cap loading system and a cap assembly system. Thecap loading system is similar in use and construction to the wickloading station 170 described above, and, therefore, will not bedescribed in much detail and similar elements to those of the wickloading station 170 will be described with like reference numbers. Therobot/vision system 173 receives the cap 28 from the flexible partfeeder 171 and delivers the cap 28 to the cap assembly system. Withreference to FIGS. 16 and 17, the cap assembly system includes adedicated single-axis pneumatically driven lifting mechanism 232 and apneumatically driven single-action horizontal assembly mechanism 233.The lifting mechanism 232 includes a vertical transfer device 234 thatpicks up the assembled test kit 18 using vacuum force from the pallet50, elevating it to a position horizontally in-line with the horizontalassembly mechanism 233. The horizontal assembly mechanism includes ahorizontal transfer device 235 that shuttles the cap 28 onto the testkit 18, applying a known force to the cap 28 and mechanically lockingthe cap 28 to the test kit 18.

An eject defective product work station 240 includes a pick-and-placemechanism with a vacuum head to lift the test kit 18 from the pallet 50and place it on an ejector shoot if it is determined that the test kit18 is defective. The defective test kits 18 are ejected into a “reject”bulk storage container.

An eject good product work station 250 includes a pick-and-placemechanism with a vacuum head to lift the test kit 18 from the pallet 50and place it on an ejector shoot if it is determined that the test kit18 is good condition. The good test kits 18 are ejected into a “good”bulk storage container.

A photo-optic sensor may be used to verify removal of the test kit 18from the pallet 50 to ensure that a pallet 50 with base 20 is nottransferred to the queuing conveyor 90.

The palletized, intermittent-synchronous, side-by-side system 10 willnow be described in use. Components are manually bulk loaded into therespective hoppers of the respective stations and/or otherwise providedat the respective stations. The pallet 50 is automatically loaded ontothe queuing conveyor 90 at finish end 100 and is shuttled to theopposite start end 110 via the queuing conveyor 120. The pallet transfermechanism 130 transfers the pallet 50 from the queuing conveyor 90 atthe start end 110 to the indexing conveyor 140 at the start end 110. Theindexing conveyor 140 shuttles the pallet 50 from the start end 110 tothe finish end 100 in a opposite direction than the movement of thequeuing conveyor 90. The pallet 50 is first shuttled via the indexingconveyor 140 to the base loading work station 150, where the base 20 isloaded into the recess or nesting 62 on the upper-side 54 of the pallet50. The pallet 50 with base 20 is then shuttled via the indexingconveyor 140 to the test strip insertion work station 160. At thisstation, the test strip 22 is cut and placed into the base 20. Thepallet 50 with base 20 is then shuttled via the indexing conveyor 140 tothe wick loading work station 170, where the wick 24 is placed in thebase 20. The pallet 50 with base 20 is then shuttled via the indexingconveyor 140 to the visual inspection work station 180, where the teststrip 22 is visually inspected by a vision system. The pallet 50 withbase 20 is then shuttled via the indexing conveyor 140 to the cover loadwork station 200 and then shuttled to the pneumatic press station 210,where the cover 26 is placed on the base 20 in the pallet 50 and thensubsequently pneumatically pressed onto the base 20. The pallet 50 isthen shuttled to the assembly verification work station 230, where aheight check of the final product is performed. The pallet 50 with base20 is then shuttled via the indexing conveyor 140 to the cap load andassembly station 220, where the cap 28 is placed onto the test kit 18assembly to form the final product. The pallet 50 with final product isthen shuttled via the indexing conveyor 140 to the eject defectiveproduct work station 240, where the final product is ejected from theindexing conveyor 140 into a “reject” bulk storage container if thefinal product is determined to be defective from the height check. Thepallet 50 with final product is then shuttled via the indexing conveyor140 to the eject good product work station 250, where the final productis ejected from the indexing conveyor 140 into a “good” bulk storagecontainer. The pallet 50 without the final product is then shuttled viathe indexing conveyor 140 to the pallet transfer mechanism 260 at thefinish end 100, where the pallet 50 is transferred over to the queuingconveyor 90 to start the process over. The pallet transfer mechanism 260is pneumatically driven and transfers the pallets 50 from the finish end100 of the indexing conveyor 140 to the finish end 100 of the queuingconveyor 90. Bulk removal of assembled test kits 18 from the “good” binis performed manually.

All assembly functions are performed in a “one-up” configuration, whereone assembly operation occurs per machine cycle. One or more controlsystems control the conveyors of the system, the shuttle transfermechanisms, and the work stations. The system 10 may include a userinterface 270 for interacting with the one or more control systems.

The system 10 can be used with different pallet 50 configurations fordifferent product formats. Work stations can be easily added to thesystem 10 or removed from the system 10 with minimal manual changeovertime for running different product formats. Further, modules 85 may beeasily added or removed to the system 10 depending on the productformat. Manual adjustments during product changeover may be made usinglocking micrometer devices, having readable scales for quick reference.The system 10 may utilize slotted adjustments with a maximum of two setpositions. The above allows families of related products or differentproducts to be assembled with the system 10 and method with minimummanual product changeover time.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that stillfurther changes and modifications in the actual concepts describedherein can readily be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the following claims.

1. A method of assembling a diagnostic medical test kit, the methodcomprising: a) providing an automatic assembly system including anassembly line and a parallel return line, the assembly line and thereturn line including conveyors running in opposite directions and astart end and a return end, a plurality of pallets carrying thecomponents of the medical test kit during assembly, a plurality of workstations disposed along the assembly line to perform assembly steps onthe components of the medical test kit, a start end pallet transfermechanism disposed at the start end of the assembly line and the returnline to transfer the pallets from the return line to the assembly line,and a finish end pallet transfer mechanism disposed at the finish end ofthe assembly line and the return line to transfer the pallets from theassembly line to the return line; b) providing a plurality of emptypallets on the conveyor of the return line; c) moving the empty palletson the conveyor of the return line to the start end of the return line;d) transferring the empty pallets from the start end of the return lineto the start end of the assembly line with the start end pallet transfermechanism; e) moving the pallets on the conveyor of the assembly line tothe plurality of work stations and using the pallets as carriers for apartially completed and completed diagnostic medical test kit; f)assembling the components of the diagnostic medical test kit at theplurality of work stations; g) transferring completed diagnostic medicaltest kits from the pallets, producing empty pallets; h) transferringfaulty diagnostic medical test kits from the pallets, producing emptypallets; i) moving the empty pallets on the convey of the assembly lineto the finish end of the assembly line; j) transferring the emptypallets from the finish end of the assembly line to the start end of thereturn line; k) repeating steps c-j above.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein steps c-k are automatically performed.
 3. The method of claim 1,further including performing a product changeover by replacing one ormore of the work stations along the assembly line with one or moredifferent work stations along the assembly line and replacing theplurality of pallets with a plurality of different pallets.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the above method is performed in a one-upconfiguration, where one assembly operation occurs per machine cycle. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein at least 3,600 cycles are performed perhour with at least one part produced per cycle.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein the conveyor of the assembly line is an indexing conveyorthat is servo-driven and synchronous-intermittent.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the conveyor of the assembly line includes an uppersurface with a plurality of cleats, and the pallets include respectiverecesses that receive the cleats of the conveyor.
 8. The method of claim1, wherein the conveyor of the return line is a variable-speed linearreturn accumulating conveyor.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein thediagnostic medical test kit includes a base, a test strip, a wick, acover, and a cap, the plurality of work stations include a base loadingstation, a test strip insertion station, a wick loading station, a coverload work station, a pneumatic press station, a cap load and assemblystation, an assembly verification work station, an eject defectiveproduct work station, and an eject good product work station, andassembling the components of the diagnostic medical test kit at theplurality of work stations includes loading the base into the palletwith the base loading station, indexing, cutting, and placing a singletest strip into the base with the test strip insertion station, placingthe wick in the base with the wick loading station, providing a cover onthe base with the cover load work station, snapping the cover to thebase with the pneumatic press station, providing a cap on thesubassembly with the cap load and assembly station, verifying fullassembly of the diagnostic medical test kit with the assemblyverification work station, removing rejected diagnostic medical testkits from the pallet with the eject defective product work station, andremoving assembled diagnostic medical test kits from the pallet with theeject good product work station.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein theplurality of work stations further include a visual inspection workstation, and assembling the components of the diagnostic medical testkit at the plurality of work stations further include inspecting the cuttest strip in the base with the visual inspection work station.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the plurality of work stations furtherinclude a photo-optic sensor to verify removal of the diagnostic medicaltest kits from the pallets to ensure that a pallets with diagnosticmedical test kits are not transferred to the return line, and assemblingthe components of the diagnostic medical test kit at the plurality ofwork stations further include verifying with the photo-optic sensor thatthe diagnostic medical test kits are removed from the pallets prior totransferring the diagnostic medical test kits to the return line.
 12. Anautomatic diagnostic medical test kit assembly system, comprising: anassembly line having a start end, a return end, a conveyor running in adirection; a return line parallel to the assembly line and having astart end, a return end, and a conveyor running in a direction oppositeof that of the conveyor of the assembly line; a plurality of palletscarrying components of the medical test kit during assembly; a pluralityof work stations disposed along the assembly line to perform assemblysteps on the components of the medical test kit; a start end pallettransfer mechanism disposed at the start end of the assembly line andthe return line to transfer the pallets from the return line to theassembly line; and a finish end pallet transfer mechanism disposed atthe finish end of the assembly line and the return line to transfer thepallets from the assembly line to the return line.
 13. The automaticdiagnostic medical test kit assembly system of claim 12, wherein one ormore of the work stations along the assembly line are removablyreplaceable for performing a product changeover by replacing one or moreof the work stations along the assembly line with one or more differentwork stations along the assembly line and the plurality of differentpallets are replaceable for replacing the plurality of pallets with aplurality of different pallets for assembling a different product. 14.The automatic diagnostic medical test kit assembly system of claim 12,wherein the automatic diagnostic medical test kit assembly systemperforms a one-up configuration, where one assembly operation occurs permachine cycle.
 15. The automatic diagnostic medical test kit assemblysystem of claim 12, wherein the automatic diagnostic medical test kitassembly system performs at least 3,600 cycles are performed per hourwith at least one part produced per cycle.
 16. The automatic diagnosticmedical test kit assembly system of claim 12, wherein the conveyor ofthe assembly line is an indexing conveyor that is servo-driven andsynchronous-intermittent.
 17. The automatic diagnostic medical test kitassembly system of claim 12, wherein the conveyor of the assembly lineincludes an upper surface with a plurality of cleats, and the palletsinclude respective recesses that receive the cleats of the conveyor. 18.The automatic diagnostic medical test kit assembly system of claim 12,wherein the conveyor of the return line is a variable-speed linearreturn accumulating conveyor.
 19. The automatic diagnostic medical testkit assembly system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic medical test kitincludes a base, a test strip, a wick, a cover, and a cap, the pluralityof work stations include a base loading station, a test strip insertionstation, a wick loading station, a cover load work station, a pneumaticpress station, a cap load and assembly station, an assembly verificationwork station, an eject defective product work station, and an eject goodproduct work station.
 20. The automatic diagnostic medical test kitassembly system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of work stationsfurther include a visual inspection work station.
 21. The automaticdiagnostic medical test kit assembly system of claim 12, wherein theplurality of work stations further include a photo-optic sensor toverify removal of the diagnostic medical test kits from the pallets toensure that a pallets with diagnostic medical test kits are nottransferred to the return line.